News By Month

The Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing will be working through the Housing Agency of Jamaica to achieve its target of distributing some 5,000 registered titles to land owners during this financial year. Delivering a special address on Friday, August … Continued

The earnings of small-scale rural farmers in St. Thomas are expected to be boosted under a US$479,000 ($48 million) pilot project. Dubbed the Extending Financial Services Directly to Rural Jamaican Farmers (Direct2Client) Project, the initiative is being implemented by the … Continued

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security through the National Council for Senior Citizens officially launched its second annual series of retirement planning seminars at the Cardiff Hall Hotel in Runaway Bay, St. Ann on Thursday, August 15. The seminars … Continued

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, says a special team will be appointed to meet with elders of the Rastafarian community, to discuss the tragic Coral Gardens incident which took place some 50 years ago. “As a responsible … Continued

Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. Noel Arscott, says that if the Community Renewal Programme (CRP) is successful, the country could see a three per cent growth in its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Mr. Arscott was addressing the Community … Continued

The Ministry of Health has received some 20 submissions from a wide range of interest groups, as the public consultations on the tobacco control regulations closed on Tuesday, August 13. This was disclosed by Portfolio Minister, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, … Continued

President of the Jamaica Government Pensioners Association, Charles Jones, is encouraging more persons to join the organization, as it seeks to extend its reach to assist more retirees. “We are on a drive this year to start new chapters and to … Continued

Minister of Justice, Senator the Hon. Mark Golding, has informed that Cabinet, on August 12, approved the drafting of an amendment to the Child Care and Protection Act. This has been done, Mr. Golding said, so that so-called “uncontrollable” children … Continued

Michae Bradshaw and Nethaneel Campbell are this year’s recipients of the Guardian Life Limited Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) scholarships. Both students, who performed outstandingly in this year’s GSAT examinations, will each receive $50,000 annually for five years to finance … Continued

The Ministry of Education is in an advanced state of readiness for the start of the 2013/14 school year, which begins on Monday, September 2. Chief Education Officer, Grace McLean, says tuition grants as well as other fees that are … Continued

The first of four islandwide consultations on the Draft National Child Diversion Policy is to be held at the St. Andrew High School for Girls, in Kingston, on Monday, August 19. Being conducted by the Ministry of Justice, the exercise … Continued

Parents, especially fathers, whose children will be attending secondary schools in the new academic year, are being encouraged to attend the Education Ministry’s parent information fairs. The fairs are being organised by the Ministry of Education through the National Parenting … Continued

The Jamaica Venture Capital Programme (JVCP) is to be launched on September 9, during a special conference being hosted by the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ), at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston. Chairman of the DBJ, Joseph Matalon, says … Continued

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, says without community renewal, there can be no successful and prosperous Jamaica. In a message read by Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. Noel Arscott, at a stakeholder consultation forum towards … Continued

Property tax collection in the Corporate Area has risen by 169 per cent since April 1 this year, when compared to the figure for the corresponding period last year. This was disclosed by Mayor of Kingston, Senator Councillor Angela Brown … Continued

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, has praised the United States-based Atlanta-Jamaica Association (AJA) on the positive influence it continues to have on Jamaicans benefitting from its scholarship awards programme. In a message, contained in the AJA’s Independence … Continued

The Ministry of Education is reporting an increase in the percentage of passes recorded in 25 of 35 subjects sat by Jamaican candidates in this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations. Some of the subjects include: Caribbean History which … Continued

Thirty-six students of educational institutions, including high schools, colleges and universities, have been presented with scholarships worth $4.2 million, by the Tryall Scholarship Fund. The presentation ceremony was held at the Tryall Great House in Sandy Bay, Hanover, on August … Continued

The Ministry of Youth and Culture updated Cabinet on Monday, August 12 on the staging of this year’s Independence activities. The Ministry disclosed that the total cost of staging the Independence activities at both the parish and nation levels over … Continued

Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, is encouraging trainee teachers to volunteer their services as a first step to securing employment. “I am urging you (student teachers) to consider volunteering where necessary, and where available in your school communities,” … Continued